And from the ashes
by athenades87
Summary: Things after the curse are starting to turn around, its been a definite long haul. Emma and Regina are civil, but will their feelings for one another come to a head before another tragedy strikes? I suck at summaries...AUish. TRIGGER WARNER: Possible character death. Depends on how I want to take it. Rated M for language and themes.


**Hey oncers... I've been thinking of this for a while in my head its gonna be angsty and sad, and not what I usually write, but I wanna try my hand at it. I hope you enjoy.**

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Life in Storybrooke was in every sense of the word normal. The curse of course was broken, and yeah there was a major shit storm following that act but things have seemed to calm down. Regina was 'dethroned' from being mayor, but was reinstated 2 months later when Snow tried her hand at politics, which in return just about drove her to drinking. Regina gladly accepted the position back, turns out 2 months of complete solitude with only weekly interactions with Henry and weekend interactions with Emma when she picked him up per their arrangement seemed to be more than the former queen bargained for. Yes, Storybrooke became that picturesque town that you read about in magazines and stories and sitcoms from the 1950's hell it even made Mayberry look like New York City.

8:15am the clock read as it started blaring Celine Dion's "All by myself." Emma groaned as she rolled over to turn it off. Completing the task with one hard smack she rolled back over and sighed. "Yes, I know Celine thanks for reminding me." Monday mornings were a bitch for Emma, if the truth were told every morning was a bitch for Emma; she just wasn't a morning person, but Monday's were the worst. She still had Henry over from the weekend; she had to make sure he was up, feed, dressed and to school on time, if there were any deterrence from said schedule there would be hell to pay from one Regina Mills, and Emma wanted to avoid such wrath at all costs.

Emma drug herself from the warmth of her bed, instantly regretting her decision when her warm feet meet the cold floor. With another sigh Emma stood and stretched her slender body. Finding her pair of Nike sandals she slide them on and made her way to her bedroom door.

She opened it and yelled, "Hey kid, are you up?"

"Yeah." Came a small voice from the kitchen.

"Have you showered?"

"Yeah."

"Have you eaten?"

"Yeah."

"Do you have all your stuff together?"

"Yeah."

"Great," Emma mumbled to herself. "I'm getting in the shower, be ready to go when I get done."

"Well." Was the reply. Turns out the apple didn't fall far from the tree; Henry didn't like Monday mornings either.

Emma was showered, clothed, her hair dried and fixed by 8:45am. School started for Henry at 9:00am.

Running down the steps Emma rushed her words, "Come on kid, you're gonna be late for school."

"Not my fault you take forever showering." Henry sassed back.

"Oh my god, you are definitely Regina's kid." Emma said throwing on her red leather jacket and hurried toward the door.

"I'll tell her you said that, she'll be please." Henry said with a smirk.

"You do, and there will be no pizza and movies for you this weekend." Emma replied with purpose, and she meant every word.

Henry's eyes widened. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Henry quickly threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and headed for the door. The weekend was the only time he got to indulge in pizza and PG-13 movies. Him and Emma had a pact to never tell Regina about they weekend adventures, because if they were found out, they both would be pushing up daisies, Emma more than Henry.

With 5 minutes to spare the pair made it to the school.

"You be good for you mom this week, and I'll see you this weekend." Emma said as she ruffled the hair on the top of Henry's head.

"You think mom will let you come over for dinner sometime this week?" He asked.

"I doubt it kid, your mom and I have just now got on civil speaking terms and our visitation agreement seems to be going without a hitch, I don't want to push our luck." Emma answered with a sad smile.

"I know, I just miss you during the week and mom never lets me do anything fun."

"I know kid, I know." Emma dropped her eyes from Henry's sad ones. It killed her that she couldn't see the kid all time; it hurt her even more that Regina and her were in all reality barely speaking, but at least it was civil when they did. She liked Regina; in the _I want to kiss you every day for the rest of my life_ way. But she knew the feelings would never be reciprocated so she left it alone, she didn't want to mess up was little time she got with Henry and she most certainly didn't want to mess with the progress her and Regina had accomplished.

Henry sighed and reached for the door handle he pushed the door open and stepped out before he shut the door he stuck his head back in. "I'll see ya around, love ya Ma."

"Love you too, kid." Emma's heart clenches when she sees the distained look on her son's face as he shut the vehicle door.

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Usually Emma's mornings consisted of going to Granny's sitting there for an hour chatting with her best friend Ruby having one cup of hot chocolate for ever 3 bear claws she consumed. This morning though, she wasn't particularly chatty nor was she hungry, which really was a first for her. So Emma drove pass the small town diner and straight to the station. _The sooner I get this day started, the sooner I can get it over with._ She thinks to herself pulling up in front of the sheriff's station.

Emma walks into the stations and plops down behind her desk. Looks over the mountain of paper work in front of her and lets out a heavy sigh. Regina really liked to stick it to her when it came to paperwork.

Emma managed to get through most of her day with out a problem but Emma still wasn't her self. She didn't feel right, she didn't know if it was her unspoken feelings for Regina that were nagging at her, the fact she could see Henry all the time, or the fact it was way past her lunch hour and she had yet to eat a bite and truth be told she was actually slightly sick to her stomach. So this definitely was Emma's usual Monday blues.

Suddenly Rudy comes busting through the station door breaking Emma's thoughts from her sudden bellyache.

"Hey! You are alive!" Ruby exclaimed leaning against the doorframe of Emma's office.

"Yeah, for now." Emma's sighs.

Ruby furrows her brow and cocks her head, staring intently at Emma, she starts to ask her what's wrong with her, but Emma senses the up coming questioning and cuts her off.

"What's in the bag?" Emma points to Ruby's hands.

Ruby looks down. "Oh, you didn't come in for breakfast or lunch. I thought something was wrong, and figured you hadn't ate so I brought you some food. "

"Oh, what did you bring me?" Barely got out Emma had to keep her self from gagging at the smell.

"Today's chili day, you know that Em." Ruby looked at Emma questioningly. "What's wrong with you today?"

"I just don't feel good Rubes."

"Yeah you look like shit." Ruby confesses,

"Gee, thanks."

"Well its true, you don't look good at all."

Ignoring Ruby's observations of her looks Emma asks. "Did you bring crackers with that chili?"

"Yeah, do you want me to mix it all up for you like you like?" Ruby asks sitting down and getting the food out of the bag.

"No, I think I'll just have the crackers, my stomach is really upset and I think that's the best for me right now."

Ruby eyed Emma cautiously, she definitely did look good at all, but done as she asked and handed over the packs of saltines. "If you aren't feeling better in a couple days I think you need to go see Whale."

"Yeah I will." Emma coughs on her mouth full of dry crackers.

Ruby laughs handing her a bottle of water. " Don't talk with your mouth full silly."

"Yeah, yeah." Emma replies after a couple of hardy drinks.

"Well I'm going to get back to the diner, I hope you feel better soon, you should just go to the doctor now, just to make sure."

"Thanks Rubes, if I start feeling worse I will, even though I don't think that's possible." Emma chuckled lightly.

Ruby gave Emma a sad smile. "See ya later." She exclaimed walking out the door.

"See ya." Emma yelled back weakly.

After a few minutes Emma laid her head on her desk and pouted. "I need my mommy." Emma laid with her head down for what seemed like forever, but in all reality it was only like 5 minutes. Emma had just started to dose off when she heard the faint sound of heel clicking against the concert floor, she knows the sound of those heels anywhere. The steps where made with purpose and poise, they were determined steps and she knew they only belonged to one Regina Mills. Emma remained with her head on the table, she might feel like shit, but she still enjoyed her and Regina's banter.

She heard the heels stop at the doorway. "Hello Regina." Emma spoke with her head still on the desk

"I'm glad to see that our taxes dollars are hard at work." Regina deadpans for the doorway.

Emma lets a smile cross her face before she raises her head. "Was there something you needed Madam Mayor?"

When Regina's eyes feel upon Emma's face she was slightly taken aback, Emma's skin tone was gray and not the usual tent of pink that adorned her cheeks. Regina's mouth started moving at its own accord. "Are you okay today sheriff?" Regina immediately wished she could shove those words back into her mouth, because they weren't spoken with her usual authority it was laced with a sense of concern, and Emma caught it.

"Why Madam Mayor you almost sound concerned."

"Please don't delude yourself Ms. Swan, my concern merely lies with the state of this town, if our sheriff isn't up to par, then its becomes a problem for me." Regina bit back so she could regain her sense of authority.

"Well, you'll not have to worry Mayor, it's probably only a stomach bug. I was actually fixing to call it a day; I am not doing much good here, I was going to call Dad and see if he wanted to come into work a little early."

Regina wasn't quite convened that this so-called self-diagnosed stomach bug was Emma aliment.

"Please do call in your charming father, we need capable hands at all times, do get some rest sheriff and be better by the end of the week, I will not send Henry into your home, only to come out with God knows what."

Emma scoffed Regina really knows how to show she cares. "Will do Madam Mayor, what was it you came here for anyways?"

"It's not important, it can wait till your better, good day sheriff." With that Regina turned on her heels and left the sheriff's station.

Emma only rolled her eyes as she picked up the phone to call her father.

"_Hey dad, I'm not feeling so hot, you think you could come to the station a little early so I could go home and rest?"_

'_Yeah, no problem, do you want me to have your mother come by later with some soup or something?" _

Emma considered it for a moment. Even if she said no Mary Margaret would come anyways. She missed out on 28 years of real motherly love, so why not.

"_Yeah tell her to come over in about a couple hours."_

"_Okay honey; hope you staring feeling better."_

"_Thanks Dad." _

The conversation ended, Emma grabbed her things and headed home.

When Emma got home, she headed straight for her bed and feel asleep; she didn't even bother with taking off her shoes. This was something more than Emma's usual Monday blues, or the classic stomach bug and it was all confirmed when Mary Margaret found Emma laying in the same passion she was in when she feel asleep, only difference was Emma was unresponsive.

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**Eek, sorry bout the cliff hanger... Tell me if you liked it.. Drop me a few lines.**

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